


Sweet as Sugar, Cold as Ice

by mthrfkrgdhrwego (universalchampbalor)



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, Bars and Pubs, Bisexual Male Character, Coffee Shops, Kink Negotiation, M/M, Male Friendship, OMC works in a bar, OMC's sister owns a cafe, POV Male Character, POV Third Person, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Trans Male Character, Warren is a CEO, and is in college, and most of their communication happens there, college students, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-07 15:10:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 4,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7719589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/universalchampbalor/pseuds/mthrfkrgdhrwego
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ely first meets Warren in a sleazy bar.</p><p> </p><p>AKA the sugar daddy AU no one asked for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Kill me.  
> Partly written because of the shit @kurtwxgners has on her Tumblr.

Ely first met Warren in a sleazy bar.

Being a college student is rough, and sometimes working long nights at the shittiest dive bar in town is the only way you can deal with student loans.

When Ely started his 7:30 shift, the bar was already pretty full. Dive bars mean cheap beer, and it was well past the end of the work day. Most of the customers at the bar were blue collar workers who wanted to drink away the stress of the day. Occasionally there are one or two high rollers that come in, but it's rare.

It was 10 when Ely noticed him.

The man was even more out of place than the high rollers.

He was sitting at the corner of the bar, his expensive suit jacket draped over the almost nonexistent back of the stool. His pressed slacks were probably the most expensive item to ever touch the sticky, cracked vinyl of the barstool. A triple of whisky sat in his hands. He occasionally swirled the glass before sucking the burning liquid through his teeth.

"What's a rich guy like you doing in a shit hole like this?" Ely asked. He was a curious guy, and tried to strike up conversations with the patrons. He'd come to realize that you learn the best stories while being a bartender.

The man laughed. The red neon lights bounced off of his golden curls. The dim ceiling lamps cast a glow over his cheekbones. His blue eyes shined in the dark lighting. When he stretched his arms gently, Ely could see well defined muscles flexing underneath his thin, white button up.

He had to admit, this guy looked down right delicious.

"For a place like this, it has good booze. I'm also not gonna run into any coworkers here." The man snorted, taking a long sip of his whisky.

"What's a pretty face like you doin' in a bar like this?" He asked in return.

Ely sighed through his nose and turned to the shelf of booze behind him. He grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel's and moved to pour the man another glass.

"Student loans are a bitch." He replied.

His attempt at pouring another triple was blocked by a hand grabbing the bottle carefully.

The man released his grip on the bottle as he laughed. "That they are. Shot of vodka, please." He asked with a dazzling smile.

Ely replaced the whisky in his hand with a bottle of Absolut. He quickly poured a shot for the man, muscle memory kicking in so he didn't have to pay attention.

A quick scan of the bar showed that Peter, Alex, and Sean had everything else covered.

"What are you studying?" The man asked, his voice coated in genuine curiosity.

"Forensic abnormal psychology." Ely said, placing the bottle of vodka on the bar counter.

"Impressive." The man said. He tossed back the shot and quickly asked for another one. Ely complied.

 

"'M Warren." The man said, sticking his hand out carefully. His rolled up sleeves revealed the expensive watch embracing his left wrist.

Ely shook his hand. "Ely. Pleasure to meet you." He said.

At this point, he was used to these encounters. After all, you can't work 3 years as a bartender at a shady bar without being hit on almost every day by the same kinds of creepy

guys.  
The man, Warren, stayed until closing at 2 am. He said he didn't have work the next day, and that a friend was picking him up.

He switched between scotch and vodka most of the night, occasionally downing a large glass of water or two.

He was very social.

He was the CEO of a large company that specialized in manufacturing medical equipment. He inherited the business from his dad and had carried on the work. It was a busy time, apparently. Shitty dives like The Odditorium were his only escapes; they were places where he could avoid his coworkers, his job, his responsibilities, all of it, if only for a few hours.

He was also a sweet talker.

He was dangerously charming, and he knew it. He seemed to know just what to say to get under a person's skin, just what to say to get their face burning as blood rushed through their veins excitedly.

When a solid girl with a wild white Mohawk showed up and grabbed Warren by the arm, Ely knew it was time for the man to leave.

He payed for his drinks and tossed a 50 to Ely.

"Keep the money, kid." Warren said with a devilish wink.

Ely grabbed the folded bill cautiously. When he unfolded it to check if it was real, a small piece of paper tumbled out.

Ely now had Warren's number.


	2. Café Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second time Ely meets Warren was at a café.

The second time Ely met Warren was at a cafe.

For Ely, lunch consisted of a sandwich from the cafe his sister ran. It was cheap, she gave him discounts, and it was close to campus.

It was a regular Thursday, and Ely stopped by during the 40 minute break between his psych 101 class and his criminology class. Szofie already had his order ready and waiting for him at the cash register.

"What am I eating today?" He asked, fishing through his pocket for his wallet.  She always picked random, new foods for him to try.

"Cucumber, tomato, avocado, and smoked turkey on sourdough." Szofie rattled off, sliding over to the cash register and shooing the previous cashier away.

"Sounds delicious. How much is it today?" He asked, running his fingers along the cracked leather of his wallet wearily. He always hated spending money, even if it was necessary.

"$3.50. Family discount." She said, sending a wink to her brother.

Before Ely could place the money on the counter, a hand entered his view.

A 10 dollar bill was tossed onto the counter, along with the bottle of raspberry juice that Ely had been eyeing before. "Keep the change."

The voice sounded familiar.

Ely looked up and saw the man from the bar, Warren, standing behind him, flashing that thousand megawatt smile his way.

He was wearing a crisp, dark blue suit that hugged the curves of his body perfectly. The pressed slacks hugging his hips did wonderful things to his ass, hugging the swell of flesh in a way that was downright sinful.

A ridiculously expensive watch caressed his left wrist, and several rings clinked together from their resting places on his long fingers. His hair was curly and wild in a tamed, deliberate sort of way. His green eyes glittered in the flickering light of the cafe. They expressed happiness and amusement, and a million other emotions that Ely could only hope of identifying.

They were trained on him.

Szofie raised an eyebrow and took the money, placing it in the cash register with a practiced sense of ease.

"This a friend of yours, Ely?" She asked, casting her glance over to Warren before looking back to her brother.

"Sorta. Thanks, man." Ely said wearily, holding out a hand for Warren to shake. The other man complied. His grasp was firm, and the tips of his fingers slightly bit into the skin of Ely's knuckles.

Ely almost missed the wink that Warren sent his way as he left.

Almost.


	3. Friendly Lamenting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're dense as fuck.

"So, I think this guy might like me." Ely said. He had just finished recounting the tale of Warren to his best friend Halogen.

The smaller boy was sitting next to him, fingers tented and pressed gently against his reddened lips as he stared into Ely's soul.

"You're dense as fuck." Was his reply.

Halogen was an interesting person. He was short and thin, but his presence dominated whatever room he was in. He was wearing a stiff black button up and ripped jeans, a skinny dark green tie pulled a little too tight around his thin neck.

His gentle grey eyes were ringed by red, and Ely couldn't tell if it was from makeup or lack of sleep. His cheeks were gaunt, and he looked like he hadn't eaten or slept in weeks. He looked like an absolute wreck.

Just like always.                                                

He tossed his legs up, throwing his platform- clad feet into Ely's lap. He placed his hands behind his back and reclined, his eyes drifting shut in serenity. His copper hair, styled into an undercut and  merely a large tuft covering only the top of his head, was falling over his eyebrows and encroaching into his eyes.

"He called you pretty- which you are, it isn't fair- gave you a 50 for no reason, gave you his number, and paid for your shitty lunch." Halogen paused, bringing the blunt between his fingers up to his lips. He took a long pull, letting the smoke settle in his lungs before releasing it slowly.

"I think it's safe to say that he's into ya." He snickered, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Might even be looking for a sugar baby." Halogen teased, prodding Ely's stomach with the toe of his boot.

"Fuck off! Hal, I'm being serious here." The taller man responded, shoving his friend's feet off his lap.

"Fine, fine, I'll leave you alone! Szofie needed me back at the cafe anyway. See ya, lover boy." Halogen said, flipping up his middle finger in a farewell to his friend.

Watching Hal's back fade, Ely couldn't shake his words from his mind.


	4. Back to the Café

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It took a month of random, awkward encounters for Ely to text Warren.

Eventually, Ely couldn't take the occasional flirting and Warren paying for anything he could.

He decided to do something about it.

It took a month of random, awkward encounters for Ely to finally text Warren.

E: u kno the cafe on 4th st?  
W: sure do  
E: think u can meet me there in 10?  
W: np  
E: gr8. c u there  
W: its a date ;)

Ely stared at Warren's last text. His mouth ran dry, turning into a desert as his heart thumped in his chest.

He walked the five minutes to his sister's cafe, talking anxiously with Halogen. His phone was pressed to his ear in one hand, his other one gesticulating slightly.

"E. Ely. Christ, Rhone, it is literally 2.30 am. Why the fuck are you calling me?" Halogen griped, his voice thick with sleep.

"Sorry! I just don't know who else to talk to! You know Szofie would just make fun of me. Peter and Sean would just make jokes too. God knows what innuendoes Alex would come up with. Also, don't act like you weren't already awake. I know you, Hal." Ely answered, trapping his phone between his ear and his shoulder as he fought to open the old door to the cafe. It stuck often, and needed two hands to be opened properly.

"Let me get that for you."

The voice was silky, and the person it belonged to was practically pressed against Ely's back. He almost dropped his phone when hot breath tickled his ear.

"Shit! Hal, I'll call you back." He hissed into the phone quietly before hanging up. He turned around and was quickly met with the bluest pair of eyes he had ever seen. Soft gold curls were close enough to him that they brushed his forehead. He felt his breath leave his chest in a rush as his hammering heart suddenly stopped.

Warren was startlingly beautiful up close.

A small chuckle slipped past Warren's pink lips. His breath carried the scent of coffee and cinnamon toothpaste, though that scent was almost overpowered by his smooth cologne.

"Why thank you." He said, his small smile turning into a grin akin to what you would see on the cat that ate the canary.

It was only then that Ely realized he had said that out loud.  



	5. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What the fuck are you two doing outside my café at 2.30 in the morning?"

Ely felt disappointment rush through his body when Warren took several steps back. He grabbed the door handle with both hands and planted a foot firmly on the lower end of the door. He yanked back hard, almost knocking himself over in the process.

The door clicked open quietly.

"What the fuck are you two doing outside of my cafe at 2.30 in the morning?" Szofie snapped as the pair walked in.

Warren chuckled softly and let Ely play damage control.

"Look, sis, I needed somewhere quiet to talk with Warren, and this is the only place open this late." He said, grabbing his sister to pull her into a hug. He embraced her the best he could with her verbally and physically protesting.

She finally shook him off with a huff.

"Technically, we're not open yet. Why didn't you go to the Odditorium?" She sighed, planting her hands on the counter. She locked her elbows and pushed her weight on her arms as she stared her brother down.

Ely snorted. "Like I want to go to that place on my day off. Besides, they close in, like, ten minutes. Now please, _please_ just let us talk here for 10 minutes. I'll let you borrow that really cute skirt that you like, okay? Thank you!"

The older sibling scoffed and flipped off her brother, before turning back to the display case she had been working on when the pair barged in.

"Fine. Just...don't make a mess. Kurt, Scott, and Jean aren't coming in until 3 and we open at 3:30, so there isn't a lot of time to clean this place up." She said. The look she gave Ely was filled with pleading.

"No problem."

Ely turned to look at Warren.

He looked flawless as always.

He was wearing a crisp white button up underneath a maroon sweater, along with a blue tie.  Grey skinny jeans hugged his legs, and oxford decorated his feet.

He wore three rings on each hand. A simple chain necklace was peeking out of his collar.

He grinned at Ely, and his knees went weak.

"So, why'd you call me here at 2 am?" Warren asked, raising an eyebrow as he sat in one of the cushioned chairs. "Not that I'm complaining. You're not a bad thing to see first thing in the morning." He winked.

"Why do you always do that?" Ely asked suddenly.

Warren blinked. He obviously hadn't expected the quickly delivered question. "Do what?" He asked, a confused smile gracing his face.

" _That._ You always _wink_ at me a-and _flirt_ and you pay for my shit or give me really big tips at the bar. Why?" Ely asked. The words rushed past his lips, almost as if they wanted to get out of the cavern of his mouth before he could swallow them back down.

Warren simply looked at him for a moment before laughing.  



	6. He was just kidding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So what, am I like you... sugar baby or something?"  
> "If you want to be."

Warren had a beautiful laugh.

It began deep in his belly and rumbled out into the atmosphere. It carried through the air and sent shivers down Ely's spine.

"God, you're cute. I do it because I like you."

When he spoke, his voice was deeper, the Dorset accent clinging to his words thicker. It was as if he was trying to force pure _sex_ into his voice.

It worked.

Ely let his weight fall heavily into the cushioned seat across from Warren. His legs felt like jelly and his head was fuzzy. His heart was fluttering heavily and his stomach was jumping around.

The words Warren had spoken took several moments to set in before the weight of their meaning really hit him.

"But why do you give me so much money?" He blurted. The inquiry passed over his tongue before he could even process it in his mind.

Warren laughed again.

This time it came from his throat, bubbling out past his lips. The sound twinkled like fairy lights and made Ely's toes feel fuzzy.

"I've got a lot of it. I'm not using it all; hell, I doubt I even _could_ use it all. Why not give it to you? You obviously need the cash." He said with a shrug.

"So what, am I like your... _sugar baby_ or something?"

Ely regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

Warren gave him a deep, long stare. His eyes bore into his skull, as if they were searching through his soul.

"If you want to be."

Warren was dead serious.  



	7. Negotiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Okay! Alright, get out of my cafe. You are not having this conversation right now while I'm in the room. The others are here. Go home."

Ely blinked hard.

And again.

And again.

The words Warren spoke felt like cotton in his brain. He was unable to process it- it just sat there, building pressure in his stomach until he couldn't take it and it exploded.

"What would that mean?"

Warren looked at him for a second before answering. "I would give you a credit card, or a check book, or cash, whichever you would prefer. You'd have a weekly or monthly allowance, depending on what works best. You wouldn't have to call me 'Daddy' or anything unless you wanted to."

He paused, eyes roaming over Ely as if to gauge his reaction to his words.

He continued.

"You could stay with me, or I could by you your own place. There are some really nice complexes in town, and I could get you an entire floor if you wanted."

Warren had a wistful look in your eyes.

"We don't have to immediately jump into this. We could have a...trial period. I give you a single month allowance and we can go from there." He finished.

Once he saw the concerned look on Ely's face, he added one last thing to his offer.

"You wouldn't _have_ to sleep with me. I wouldn't make you do that if you didn't want to. I know lot of sugar daddies make that a rule. I'm not one of them." He promised.

"Okay! Alright, get out of my cafe. You are _not_ having this conversation right now while I'm in the room. The others are here. _Go home."_ Szofie exclaimed, jumping up from her seat. She put one hand on Warren's shoulder and the other on Ely's, carefully steering the pair towards the door of the cafe.

Ely left in a wordless daze. Warren turned to Szofie and smiled. "Have a good day." He said.

"Oh, fuck off."  



	8. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Halogen said was, "Ha! Knew it!"
> 
> All Szofie said was, "I'm your big sister. Don't talk about this with me."
> 
> Alex, Sean, and Peter just made innuendos and asked for money.
> 
> He was on his own.

It was another week before Ely talked to Warren.

The problem wasn't that he wasn't interested in his proposition; it was that he _was_ interested. And he didn't know what to do.

All Halogen said was, "Ha! Knew it!"

All Szofie said was, "I'm your big sister. Don't talk about this with me."

Alex, Sean, and Peter just made innuendos and asked for money.

He was on his own.

The internet was no help either. All he found was horror stories about Sugar Daddies gone wrong. All that did was instill a sense of dread in his stomach.

"Hey, Warren."

Ely was working his usual 7 to 2 shift when Warren sat at the bar.

It was 10 o'clock like usual, and he ordered a triple of whiskey.

"I'm sorry if I freaked you out earlier. I know not everyone is into that kind of thing." He apologized, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Let's give it a shot. One month trial period, right?" Ely said, dropping the rag he was using to clean the counter. He braced his arms against the edge of the bar, his elbows locking to support his weight as he leaned forwards.

"Oh! Oh, okay. Uh, sure. Um, how much do you think would be a good amount?" Warren asked, startled. He sucked down half the glass of whiskey, sighing as it burned his throat.

"Um, I don't know. I'm new to this whole thing." Ely said. He would always deny the blush that settled over his cheeks.

Warren laughed. "Don't worry, I'm new to it to." He said. The smile curving on his lips and pushing up the apples of his cheeks started a fire burning in Ely's chest.

He couldn't help returning it.


	9. Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His rent for the month cost him $906.89. His utilities were $146.17. His internet was $51.25. Groceries for the month are around $390. That leaves him with $3,505.15 to spend for the rest of the month.  
> That's when he remembered the $123,000 plus he paid for student loans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually had to look up how much Sugar Daddies give their Babies for a month and most of it was dating sites I'm cringing so hard rn.

Ely found a check for $5,000 waiting for him when he got in to work the next day.

"Hey, E. Some girl dropped by and left this for you." Alex said, handing him the check. A note was stapled to the back of it, written in neat, looping handwriting.

_Ely,_

_Here's $5000. This covers living expenses and anything else you need for the month. Sorry I couldn't give it to you myself; work is busy this time of year._

_XO, Warren._

Ely stared at the note, letting his eyes linger over the note for several minutes before the words clicked.

His rent for the month cost him $906.89. His utilities were $146.17. His internet was $51.25. Groceries for the month are around $390. That leaves him with $3,505.15 to spend for the rest of the month.

His hands began to shake.

That's when he remembered the $123,000 plus he paid for student loans.

"Hey, Alex? Do you think you guys can cover my shift for a few hours?" He asked, blinking hard in hopes of helping his blurring vision.

"Sure, man. What's wrong?" Sean asked, pausing from cleaning the glass in his hands.

"Nothing. I just need to talk to Szofie. I'll be back before the end of the night." With that, he ran out of the building.


	10. Concerned Older Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Warren gave me $5,000. About 2,000 of it went to my living expenses and the rest went to my student loans." He was laughing a breathless laugh.  
> "Just $120,000 to go."

"Szof! Szof, I just knocked out $3,000 of my student loans."

Ely was panting heavily, having run all the way from The Odditorium. His chest was heaving, and his legs were burning from running so far.

"Wait, what?" Szofie asked. She mumbled something to Scott, who nodded. She stepped out from behind the counter and stalked over to her brother. "What did you do?" She asked him, hands on her hips as she glared down at him.

"Warren gave me $5,000. About 2,000 of it went to my living expenses and the rest went to my student loans." He was laughing a breathless laugh.

"Just $120,000 to go."

A quiet sob left his throat. He wasn't sure why; he was more than happy to have chipped away even _some_ of the loans dangling over his head.

Szofie looped her arms around her brother's shoulders, pulling him into a hug. He rested his head against her shoulder, fisting his hands in the back of her shirt.

"Just... don't do anything you're going to regret."

He laughed, rubbing the tears out of his eyes.

"I'm not going to, Szof. What would I regret?" He asked, pulling away from her slightly.

She sighed, dragging a hand through her thick white hair. "You might regret getting into a relationship like this. Seriously, E? A Sugar Daddy?" Her last questions where hushed, as if she didn't want anyone else hearing.

"Relax. I'm not with him. I didn't agree to anything. He offered a month trial period. I was curious, so I accepted. He's not making me do anything. Even if he did, we both know I can defend myself." He winked.

"Just be safe." "I will, don't worry!"

Ely almost missed Szofie mumbling, "That's what you said last time."


	11. Texts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was Ely who made the first move, surprisingly.

It was Ely who made the first move, surprisingly.

It was halfway through their trial month, and he just couldn't help himself.

E- hey, i kno it sounds bad asking you on a date that youll have to pay for  
E- BUT theres this really nice steakhouse that opened up on e 4th st and the food looks REALLY good  
E- ill pay for the next date???

Ely stared at his phone for several minutes as he awaited Warren's response. It was moments like these that he wished he could delete sent texts and erase them from ever happening, erase them from his mind, the mind of the recipient, from history itself.

Sadly, he couldn't do that.

Thankfully, Warren was cool.

W- why not??  
W- give me ur address. Ill pick u up in 30 minutes.

Ely breathed out a sigh of relief as panic began to circle his heart.

E- sure thing. Here u go.

He sent over his address and stared at his phone for a second, trying to comprehend what had happened.

And _that's_ when he panicked and called Halogen.


	12. Preperations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I hate you sometimes."
> 
> "Yeah, that's why we've been best friends since middle school."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to take this time to remind you that it is 2.15 AM when I'm writing this AND school starts on Monday.
> 
>  
> 
> I'm fucked.

"You called me over for _this_?" Halogen asked, one manicured eyebrow raised starkly as he stared at his best friend.

"Hal, this is serious! I have a _date_ with the _CEO of a company._ He's literally _a millionaire._ I can't just show up looking like shit! C'mon, I need your help." Ely couldn't hold the words back even if he wanted to. A ball of nerves and excitement had taken up residence in the pit of his stomach, infecting everything he was saying, doing, _thinking._

Halogen ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Fine. But your wardrobe is shit. I'll see what I can do." With that, he popped his knuckles, cracked his neck, and began hunting through Ely's clothes.

About 20 minutes later, Ely was standing in front of the mirror. He was wearing a slick black PVC skirt that reached down just below his knees. A pair of black tights adorned with green roses covered his feet and disappeared into a pair of wedge- boots. A white button up was pulled tight across his torso. On each breast pocket, a pair of closed eyes rested.

His long hair had been pinned up in a loose bun, several strands falling loose to frame his face. A rim of eyeliner coated his eyes, and his lips were painted a pale pink that was only a few shades darker than his skin.

Ely sighed and turned to Halogen.

"Are you _sure_ this is a good idea? So far, he's only seen me in skinnies and tee shirts. He's never seen me wearing skirts or makeup." He said, worrying his lower lip between his teeth.

Halogen placed a finger on his chin and pulled on his lower lip, freeing it from his teeth. "You'll ruin your lipstick. And besides, if he doesn't like this," He gestured to Ely's outfit, "then he isn't the right guy for you. This is who you are! If he can't accept that, then fuck him."

Ely's phone buzzed on the dresser. Halogen ran over and checked it. A slow, mischievous grin settled upon his purple- painted lips.

"And besides, it's too late. He's here."

"I hate you sometimes."

"Yeah, that's why we've been best friends since middle school."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm @restingwitxhface on Tumblr. Blow up my inbox!


End file.
